Watches, Stories, & Gear: Colliding Planets, Mechanical Keyboards, & Keepers Of Time

“Watches, Stories, and Gear” is a roundup of our favorite content, watch or otherwise, from around the internet. Here, we support other creators, explore interesting content that inspires us, and put a spotlight on causes we believe in. Oh, and any gear we happen to be digging on this week. We love gear.

Share your story ideas or interesting finds with us by emailing our Managing Editor at [email protected]

This installment of “Watches, Stories, and Gear” is brought to you by the Windup Watch Shop, which now features an EDC section.

Keeper Of Time Premiere Coming Soon

It’s hard to believe, but we first brought you news of the horology documentary Keeper of Time all the way back in 2018, when it was merely a Kickstarter project hoping to be funded. Now, four years later, the finished film is here, and we couldn’t be more happy to be spreading the word. There’s a live-streaming premier event to be held on April 28, with replays to follow, and tickets are available on the film’s website here. The doc features interviews with watch industry icons like Max Büsser, F.P. Journe, Roger W. Smith, and more, so it should be catnip for serious watch enthusiasts.

Chilling Deleted Scene from The Batman Released

You may have heard us talk about The Batman a little too much on a recent podcast. Hey, what can we say? We enjoyed the latest entry in a seemingly never ending series of movies that are riffs on one of the most compelling of all comic book superheroes. With that in mind, we couldn’t wait to get a look at this surprise deleted scene from the recent film, featuring Robert Pattionson’s Batman and a version of the Joker played by Barry Keoghan. For a scene that was ultimately cut from the finished film, it’s actually quite riveting, and we wonder why it was left on the cutting room floor. Mostly though, it has us curious about a possible sequel to The Batman that more prominently features Keoghan’s take on the Joker.

Remnants of Planet Collision Spotted By Astronomers

A long time ago, in a star system far, far away… two planets collided, and our telescopes have zoned in on the aftermath. Turns out, most planetary systems likely began in such chaos, with the building blocks of would-be planets slowly coalescing over millions of years, and discoveries like this give astronomers a ‘live’ look at that process unfolding. A star called HD 166191 (catchy) about 330 million light years away caught our attention precisely for these reasons, showcasing a debris disc taking shape in the aftermath of a violent collision. The view should add further pieces to understanding system and planetary formation during this phase, allowing a look essentially into the past. A great view, from a distance. Read more about the unfolding study at universetoday right here.

Ars Technica Creates Guide To Mechanical Keyboards

Mechanical keyboards have entered the mainstream. And why not? It’s the single item we likely interact with the most day and day out. It deserves more thought. The world of mechanical keyboards can be a bit confusing at first, with a variety of sizes, layouts, switch types, and overall design style to choose from. Then of course, there’s making your own from a kit. Soldering the switching to the PCB, programming it to your liking… it’s a slippery slope, trust me. Ars Technica has created a primer to this world to give you a better handle on what to expect with buying or building a mechanical keyboard of your own. From layouts to switch types, there’s a lot of ground covered here and should prepare you to enter spaces like geekhack.org and start rubbing elbows with the enthusiasts. That’s right, there are mechanical keyboard enthusiasts, hype boards, custom keycaps, and even get togethers. Sound familiar? Head over to Ars for the full read and get your wallet ready if you fall in.

Reminder: #WatchFamForUkraine Auction On Loupe This Is Live!

Rather than finding some on eBay this week, save your bidding for a good cause. The auction #WatchFamForUkraine is now officially live, and the full line up of watches and accessories available is incredible. Don’t forget, all proceeds will go to help the World Central Kitchen operating in Ukraine right now. Bidding is under way as of this week, but don’t stress it, you still have time to register and bid before the auction comes to a close on the 28th. You’ll notice our own Worn & Wound x Seiko 5 Sport #1000 of 1000 already getting in on the action. Additionally, don’t miss some amazing contributions from the likes of Brew, Bespoke Watch Projects, Farer, Fears, Autodromo, and even some mainstream brands like Breitling, Rolex, and Grand Seiko. Catch more details on this auction right here, and head over to Loupe This to get your bid on.